This invention relates to the field of extruded polyvinyl foam shutters. More particularly this invention relates to an improved joint for joining ends of the shutter stiles and rails.
Traditionally, shutters have been made from wood; however, wooden shutters tend to wear out. Wood expands and contracts with the weather resulting in visible signs of wear and tear. As a result of this wear and tear, the dimensions of wooden shutters can change during storage, shipment, or use depending on the environmental conditions.
More recently shutters have been made of extruded polyvinyl materials which have excellent structural rigidity and which do not expand, contract, warp, or absorb liquids. Extruded polyvinyl is a good insulator, nonflammable, and resistant to wear and tear. Polyvinyl can be extruded into a variety of shapes in a process that generates little waste. Because of these properties, the measurements of polyvinyl foam shutters remain constant despite environmental conditions during storage, shipping or use of the shutters.
A wide variety of shutter assemblies are currently available on the market. The nonmoving components of these assemblies are generally joined with a liquid or gel bonding agent. Due to the design of the current rail and stile components the shutter assemblies in the art exhibit unsightly visual characteristics due to the bonding agent weeping from the joints of the rails and stiles. Since the bonding agents typically used with polyvinyl materials meld the plastic to form a stronger bond between the assembled components, the weeping bonding agent will mar the exposed surfaces that it contacts, even though excess seepage of the bonding agent may be wiped from the surfaces.
The present invention addresses the problem in the industry by providing a bonding agent weeping conduit that directs excess bonding agent inwardly from the exposed ends of the joined stiles and rails thereby eliminating the unsightly blemishes on the finished products. An additional benefit of the invention is improved joint strength realized by the improved distribution of bonding agent within the joint.